I spent most of my life living in the US, and when I lived there most of the hairstylists that I saw seemed to be women (and sometimes men) over 30 or 35ish who had a career in beauty.

Seven years ago, I moved to the UK, and it seems that hairstylists here tend to usually be in their 20s. It seems like it is not something that people do for a lifetime career. (Maybe there are some excellent career stylists who charge loads of money in super-posh salons in London, but I am talking about the typical local salon.)

While many of them do a good job, I feel that these 20-somethings can't really relate to the issues that over 40s have with hair:

If I let my hair grow long, will it drag my face down? If I get a short cut, will it make my face look too harsh?

Will a fringe/bangs, hide the lines around my eyes or emphasise them?

I wonder if a 20-something understands the difference, emotionally, between colouring your hair because you want a change and colouring your hair because you don't feel comfortable going out in public with your greys showing.

i never thought about the age of a stylist, but it is interesting now that you mentioned it.

the one and only bad haircut i had a few years back was from a young woman in her 20s. for the past 20+ years i have gone to stylists in their 40s or older. i never thought about it tho. it doesn't mean a young stylist can't be good, i think it comes from the talent and the skill level, the continuing education..... of course experience adds to the mix, and maybe the older ones are the ones who can make it in the field????

as to the length, style of your hair, i think it depends on the shape of your face, the texture and health of your hair, more than age.

Most of the time my cutters have been above 35 at least - just seems to have worked out that way. However, what's more important is their SKILLS at cutting curly hair, and if they have the "granny glasses" on or not. By that I mean that when they see that one is a mature woman, they don't automatically give one a needlessly-conservative haircut and color(ugh!). I'm blessed with my current cutter who is about 40 himself and does curly hair very well and sees a person's individual style rather than their age as such. I would trust him implicitly with color if I were going for anything more complicated than what I'm doing now too. Sometimes I've shown up early so I see him finishing up on the previous appointment - unfailing, everyone, straight hair or curly, looks fabulous when he's finished, and with what ever color service they get too.